Chapter 56 Demon Incense Factory(1)

“What did you say?”

The bone china teacup fell onto a gold-rimmed saucer. Princess Duanyang’s eyes grew as wide as saucers. “When did Brother Liu and the rest of them leave? How come I didn’t know?”

Peiyun stood on the side with her fingertips pointed towards the ground. “Yesterday, in the morning…”

“Why did no one tell me?” She cried out in shock but shock turned into anger in an instant. She abruptly stood up from her chair and glared at Peiyun’s face. “Brother Emperor deliberately made you all withhold the information from me, didn’t he? He just didn’t want me to…”

“Minmin, were you talking about me?” The young emperor coincidentally walked into the palace as she said these words. A smile still hung off his lips, a stark contrast to the tense Duanyang.

He raised the hems of his robes slightly before sitting down, taking a peanut from a plate, and placing it in his mouth. He then turned towards Peiyun and pulled on her sleeve, casually asking her in a low voice, “Are your hands better?”

“They’re…They’re much better now.” Peiyun hurriedly hid her fingers under her sleeves, unwilling to let him see the scars which remained.

On her left, was the caring gaze of the emperor. On her right, were the angry eyes of the princess. This gave her the feeling of being slapped on both cheeks, two fires lighting up on each side from their piercing gaze. She turned around and left that area of misfortune. “This servant will go and pour tea.”

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Mbl clye nwavykd obknb bye clld aykple cu bla, poyule yde ayvvzle, zlyhkdt sdzu vbl vos pkczkdtp kd vbl ryzynl.

“Jasvbla Oxrlasa, obu eke usw fwpv zlv Jasvbla Nkw ts fwpv zkjl vbyv?” Tla ydtla iwknjzu vwadle kdvs ekpvalpp.

“Eblvbla sa dsv bl zlyhlp, obyv eslp vbyv byhl vs es okvb usw?” Mbl lxrlasa’p pxkzl pzsozu qyele yde bl qasodle. Tl pllxle vs cl alzwnvydv vs pyu ydu byapb osaep vs bkp uswdtla pkpvla. “Ykdxkd, elxsd nyvnblap byhl vblka sod zkhlp. Mblu awd yzz shla vbl nswdvau wdzkjl uswa zkql sq zlkpwal.”

Mlyap qkzzle Vakdnlpp Pwyduydt’p lulp. “Jwv casvbla lxrlasa, Jasvbla Nkw yzxspv ekle kd saela vs pyhl xl.”

G xsxldv rypple clqsal vbl psd sq blyhld alrzkle. “Mbkp lxrlasa jdsop.”

Tl zssjle yv vbl rakdnlpp’p pxyzz qynl. Gqvla vbyv kdnkeldv, pbl bye tsvvld plakswpzu kzz yde vbl blyzvbu tzso bye nsxrzlvlzu ekpyrrlyale qasx vbl tkaz’p qynl. G oyhl sq twkzv aspl wr okvbkd bkx. “Rv’p lzela casvbla’p qywzv vbyv usw lmrlakldnle pwnb y pbsnj.”

“…R’x vyzjkdt ycswv Jasvbla Nkw, obu yal usw cakdtkdt vbkp wr?” Pwyduydt qasodle, “R jdso lzela casvbla byp yzoyup zssjle esod sd elxsd nyvnblap…”

“…”

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Peiyun remained outside for a long time, listening quietly to the arguing in the main hall. She covered the sun’s glare with her hands, her right hand on top of her left as she looked up at the clouds in the sky.

The sky was blue. Even on such a fine day, she could still feel an echo of his touch on the wrist he had just touched, as though he had left a fiery mark on her.

She exposed her hands little by little. She had fine and slender fingers but they were marred by ugly brown scars. festering skin can be cured over time but it would still leave behind the traces of the damp, dark prison.

The difference between them was like the sky and earth, but now, it seemed she was even less worthy of him.

The sunlight fell on her oval nails, coating them with a subtle luster. She laughed at herself.

“Peiyun…” Someone was calling her from behind. The voice had an ethereal quality to it, as if fairies were singing. The voice entered her ears suddenly and turned her scalp numb.

She jerked her head around to look behind her. The climbing wall roses outside of Fenyang Palace quivered. The delicate scarlet flowers swayed under the sunlight as if asking her to dance with them.

“Peiyun…”

Her name was called once again.

In this rare bit of fine weather during the autumn, the sun was shining. The cotton roses which lined their path had bloomed into a spread of pink clouds.

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A breeze blew, shaking the branches and creating a dreamy scene of flowers dancing in descent. Its refreshing floral fragrance wafted through the air.

Liu Fuyi and Mu Yao walked side by side on the road, unconsciously slowing their steps.

The two were very close to each other. It did not look like they were hurrying to their next destination but more like they were taking a walk to wherever their feet took them.

A while later, Liu Fuyi’s hand silently reached into the chilly cuffs which hung close to him and held a small, cold hand.

He was so nervous he started feeling anxious. Cold sweat had appeared on both of their palms. Surprised, Mu Yao began laughing soon after.

They continued walking, their hands tightly enclasped the whole way through.

Ling Miaomiao was walking behind them. Her apricot eyes widened as she saw the couple get closer and closer, eventually holding hands under a flower filled sky. A burst of excitement swept away the tiredness from the long trip and being constantly on the move.

She subconsciously looked back at Mu Sheng. She was surprised to find he was staring at the road, lost in thought, and had completely missed out on this wonderful scene.

…Such an important opportunity of love was blooming, but the black lotus was distracted?

In the past, this guy’s eyes would always remain on Mu Yao and he would often throw resentful and jealous looks his way. She had gotten used to this behavior long ago. And this was why she felt that these past few days had been extremely unusual. The black lotus would look at flowers, grass, and birds they encountered on the road. But, he wouldn’t look at the one who his life had revolved around up until now.

She couldn’t help herself and jabbed at him with her elbow. She then pointed at the couple. “Hey, hurry and look at your sister.”

Mu Sheng followed her finger to where she was pointing at only to encounter a sight which stirred his anger. But he couldn’t figure out the root of his anger which had flared up. Was it because his sister and Liu Fuyi were being intimate as if nothing could come between them? Or was it the mood of the person next to him, whose smile seemed to be filled with schadenfreude…

The two of them were both frustrated. But look at this idiot. What in the world was she happy about?

He looked back, his cold gaze landing on her. The moment his eyes met her large apricot eyes, she became startled and as if she had suddenly realized the situation, she wiped the smile from her face and ducked her head to look at her hands.

The girl’s delicate brows wrinkled, and her eyes flashed. She sighed, her envy and frustration all contained in that one sigh. “Brother Liu is holding Sister Mu’s hand… I’ve never held Brother Liu’s hand.”

The Demon Restraining Circlet hung on a fair wrist. It had automatically shrunk to fit her wrist and swayed in the wind, like a small exquisite silver bracelet. In Jiangnan, Chuitiao’s youngest daughter loved wearing silver bracelets on both wrists, most of them had bells hung on them which would ring in the wind.

Bells…

She didn’t know why, but Mu Sheng seemed to grow even angrier than before. Even his tone carried hints of his anger and was cold. “Walk properly, don’t let your eyes wander around.”

Miaomiao’s mouth twitched. Sure enough, even bystanders would be subject to his temper.

On the third day of their departure from Chang’an, the protagonist group intentionally declined the carriage and horses arranged by Dowager Consort Zhao, picked up their bags, and set out on foot, taking a shortcut towards the outskirts of Jinyang Slope.

Ling Miaomiao was now completely accustomed to this daily routine of walking over ten kilometers, eating, then sleeping outside, beneath a tree.

Surprisingly, everything had gone without a hitch so far. They had yet to encounter any demons or natural disasters. Miaomiao kept herself entertained by watching the intimate undercurrent of the young lovers, occasionally teasing Mu Sheng, then seeing his hair stand on end from anger. It was not at all a boring trip.

Though Jingyang Slope was called a slope in name, it was actually composed of four small mountains. These four mountains formed a natural valley in their center. Looking at it from above, it looked as if a large pit was blown in the middle and a dense forest had grown in it.

Ling Miaomiao had little comprehension of Feng Shui. However, she remembered that the original novel mentioned there were verdant hills and clear waters. Two creeks nurtured the land and the villagers lived and depended on the mountains. It was a thriving area which was warm in winter and cool in the summer, a natural utopia.

Unfortunately, a plague broke out in the village and over half of the villagers had gotten infected and died. The rest of the villagers either moved away or fled from this place and within just a few short years, not a soul was left in this former utopia. Remaining in its place were only ruins.

Some years passed and Li Zhun, a rich businessman from Jiangnan, brought his wife, servants, and the rest of his family to this place. They repaired and reinforced the buildings left behind as well as built an official residence, having decided to settle down here.

It stood to reason that merchants were superstitious and believed in Feng Shui. If it was that he longed for Chang’an, Li Zhun was rich enough to buy a good residence in the capital. However, he decided to settle down in the desolate Jingyang Slope where a ruined village lay. Such a large Jinyang Slope with only their family living on it…

This situation was really quite strange.

Suddenly, the sound of clamoring came from in front of them. Mu Yao’s steps paused for a moment.

Miaomiao moved closer to the front only to see a large cluster of people standing in the middle of the path, looking at them. In the beginning, there was a hubbub of voices and pointing, but they slowly settled down, seeming to have been waiting for their arrival.

Ling Miaomiao tentatively asked, “Is this…a bandit kidnapping?”

We can’t be this unlucky, can we…

Liu Fuyi shook his head and motioned for her to stay calm. Miaomiao shut her mouth and the four of them carefully walked towards the group of people.

One step, two steps, ten steps… The faces of the people gradually became clearer. The people there were comprised of the old, the young, the males, and the females. They stood in a group, silently watching them.

Liu Fuyi looked at the group but his face distorted as if he had suddenly realized something. He became extremely angry and spit out a rare curse, “Idiot——”

Before he had finished speaking, a bear-like man with a towering figure who had been standing upright, jogged towards them. On his face was a smile brimming with joy. “ You must be weary from your travels, fellow Taoists! You have worked very hard, this way please!”

Liu Fuyi stared at him feeling a toothache ¹ [1] This relates to the Chinese idiom, 咬牙切齿, which can mean suppressing a specific emotion/feeling. The direct translation is to gnash one’s teeth which after doing this for a while, can lead to an ache in your teeth, otherwise known as a toothache. coming on. “Brother Guo, you don’t need to be so polite.”

“Hey, of course I still need to be polite.” Guo Xiu thought he was being polite and smiled as brightly as a chrysanthemum. He replied sincerely, “After going through so many things did this lowly official realize there is always someone who is more capable than oneself. If it weren’t for your teaching, then who knows how many times this lowly official would have died by now. He held his hands together in obeisance, showing his appreciation. “

Ling Miaomiao nearly laughed herself out of breath.

The reason why the protagonist group declined Dowager Consort Zhao’s offer of sending them off by carriage or boat, took a shortcut, and painstakingly traveled this route by foot, was all so they could keep a low profile and catch the demons on Jinyang Slope unprepared.

When investigating a case, how could an investigation be done with such great fanfare? Guo Xiu was really too smart and considerate. He even deliberately ran over to spill the news. He was practically telling them to plug up any leaks and be fully prepared.

It appears they had traveled on foot for over ten miles in vain.

Mu Yao’s face darkened considerably as she stared at the person in front of her who was talking away. “This humble person knew the Taoists would be coming and specifically invited Li Zhun of Jingyang Slope to welcome you. Brother Li was very enthusiastic to do this, as you can see——”

He looked back and Li Zhun, who was dressed in long silk clothes, had his hands put together respectfully.

Following which, a roar of voices young and old, of female and male, called out to them. “We welcome the four Taoists to come and take a look around!”

Looking at this practiced yell, they probably yelled this out the sky several times before their arrival.

Indeed, Li Zhun seemed to be quite enthusiastic. He had brought out his entire family to welcome them. She couldn’t say for sure but he might have really found a banner with the words, “We welcome you and are honored by your presence. Please guide us!” and then hung it midway up the mountain had he had the ability to.

Li Zhun stood at the very front of the welcoming committee. Although he was over thirty, his appearance was very young and charming, so much so that he gave off the feeling of a young and inexperienced person such as Ning Caichen. ² [2] Ning Caichen is a character from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, a Chinese romance fantasy novel written by Pu Songling.

Subconsciously, the people went to look for Nie Xiaoqian ³ [3] Nie Xiaoqian is also from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. She is a beautiful female ghost who had tried to lure Nie Xiaoqian for her demon master but failed and fell in love with him. She ends up following him and is frequently seen by his side. This might seem familiar to you if you’ve ever watched A Chinese Ghost Story. who should have been beside Ning Caichen.

And sure enough next to him was a woman dressed in a luxurious, bright, dress. Gold patterns on a dark green collar only served to showcase the deep valleys of her fair bosom. And if one were to continue looking upwards, they would see her slender neck.

She had the kind of face which would make a lasting impression in your memory. It was quite obvious she was at least twelve years older than Li Zhun. Her eyes were set far apart and were very small. She looked like the personification of a sloth but also a canned bighead carp. ⁴ [4] I’ll spare everyone’s eyes from the sight of a beheaded canned fish… I will say I almost thought this fish was upside down :facepalm: I’m picturing a fish head on a human neck… I think I’ve actually seen that sort of thing somewhere. Now, what was that character? Don’t mind me, just weirding myself out as usual.

On her face, only her rosy lips could be considered that of a belle’s. Full, soft lips, they were proper belle lips.

Four people looked at her, speechless.

Well-developed women on Chang’an street came and went but none looked as bizarre as she did.

Miaomiao noticed Mu Sheng’s body tensing beside her. This was a demon catcher’s instinctive reaction when growing vigilant.

Li Zhun walked forward a step, smiling as he introduced them, “This is my wife, Madam Shi.” ⁵ [5] Just a note, everyone calls her Madam/Miss Shi and shi is 10 when translated… just keep that in mind. I thought Tenth Wife was wayyyy too weird so we’re going with this even though it might be slightly confusing later. (Entropy)

The fat-headed fish slowly smiled and squinted her nearly nonexistent eyes, making them appear strange but funny. The beautiful lady’s mouth moved and a clear yet sweet voice came out. “Everyone, please follow us into the residence.”

Almost at the same time, from the front, Miaomiao heard Mu Yao telling Liu Fuyi in a hushed voice, “There’s demon energy present.”

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Footnotes:

[1] This relates to the Chinese idiom, 咬牙切齿, which can mean suppressing a specific emotion/feeling. The direct translation is to gnash one’s teeth which after doing this for a while, can lead to an ache in your teeth, otherwise known as a toothache.

[2] Ning Caichen is a character from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, a Chinese romance fantasy novel written by Pu Songling.

[3] Nie Xiaoqian is also from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. She is a beautiful female ghost who had tried to lure Nie Xiaoqian for her demon master but failed and fell in love with him. She ends up following him and is frequently seen by his side.

[4] I’ll spare everyone’s eyes of the sight of the beheaded canned fish… I will say I almost thought this fish was upside down :facepalm: I’m picturing a fishhead on a human neck… I think I’ve actually seen that sort of thing somewhere. Now, what was that character? Don’t mind me, just weirding myself out as usual.